Leicester Tigers are taking a familiar approach to the Anglo-Welsh Cup as head coach Matt O’Connor steps into the background for a couple of weeks.

That leaves the preparation of the side for the opening games against Gloucester and Bath in the capable hands of Geordan Murphy, who will have some pretty handy assistance.

“It’s very similar to last year,” Murphy said. “I’m assuming the head coaching responsibility and I’ve got Brett Deacon, Boris Stankovich and Anthony Allen helping out with the various parts of the team.

“It has been an interesting week. Obviously we are resting some bodies. I think the Premiership has been quite attritional this season and it is a good chance for us to blood some younger players and also play some guys who haven’t had a lot of field time.

“I think the guys are excited and looking forward to the weekend. Last year was our first stab at it and we ‘lucked’ our way through it, I suppose, but you are taking on a different responsibility and a different role so it is about developing and hopefully as coaches we are doing that every day.”

Tigers are defending the trophy they won last year, posting three wins from their four group matches before seeing off Saracens at Allianz Park in the semi-final and defeating Exeter Chiefs in the final.

Lifting the trophy, though, is not the primary concern, Murphy says. “We’re really not worried about it and we weren’t last season.

Geordan Murphy is at the helm for the Anglo-Welsh Cup again. Picture - Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

“We had an opportunity to go out last season and put in some really good performances and that is what I’m encouraging the guys to do. It is a big game at home to Gloucester. They will have some bodies who are of international class in their side. They will be coming in a rich vein of form having won a couple of games away from home both in Europe and at Bath in the Premiership last Sunday.

“They will come to win the game so for us it is about putting in performances, representing Leicester with pride and passion and we will worry about what happens at the back end of the competition later in the year.”

The Anglo-Welsh Cup is regarded as a development competition, something that applies to coaches as well as players. Taking charge of the side should assist Murphy and the other coaches as they look to continue their own progress.

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“Everyone talks about development as a coach,” Murphy said. “ This is the start of my fifth season and I’ve been very lucky to be part of some great sides.

“I thought last season the Anglo-Welsh was the tonic that we needed at times in that we stuttered a little bit in the Premiership and that was probably the impetus that kicked us on. The morale and atmosphere that was created in and around that competition was really good for the club as a whole.

“From a coaching point of view it isn’t very long, it’s a block here and block there, but it is about developing.”

It is a process that appears to be moving along quite nicely at Oval Park.